How to Create a Rustic Elegant Fall Home: A Decorating Guide & Full Tour

Blend rustic elegance and farmhouse charm for fall! Get inspired by my home tour and learn my best secrets for decorating with plants, vintage decor, and cozy textures.

If you’re anything like me, you understand that creating a home that truly reflects you isn’t an overnight process. But rather, it’s a beautiful, slow evolution where your home kind of speaks to you. My family and I moved into this home shortly before Christmas in 2021 after living in our family home for 23 years.

While my former home leaned more strictly rustic farmhouse, these new-ish spaces, with their inherent classic and high-end finishes, inspired a shift in my decorating style. Over the past almost four years, I’ve allowed our 1850 farmhouse to speak to me. So I’ve created a style that blends my love for classic, traditional elegance with those rustic touches that still feel like home.

All with a little mix of my plants, of course! You’ll find well over 100 houseplants lovingly sprinkled throughout each of my indoor spaces, bringing life and character to every single corner.

Today, I’m taking you on a fall home tour that’s more than just a walkthrough. Because I want to share the five key principles I’ve followed to create a home that blends rustic farmhouse charm with vintage elegance, and, of course, a whole lot of greenery. We’ll chat about all the pretty details and you’ll learn how to style your own home so it feels just as warm and collected.

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Pillar 1: Start with an Earthy & Neutral Base

The foundation of my style is a calm, neutral palette. I rely on creams, soft browns, terracotta, and weathered wood tones with lots of textures to create a serene backdrop. But the real secret is treating green as a primary color, using it to add vibrancy, character, and life.

In our formal living room, the beautiful green-toned rug anchors the space and is balanced by the rich brown leather sofa and vintage wood furniture. This allows me to layer in seasonal accents like cream and rust-colored pillows plus gold accents without overwhelming the space.

Pillar 2: Embrace Your Houseplants

For me, plants aren’t just an afterthought—they are the soul of our home. They add texture, living color, and a sense of calm. I just love them and can’t get enough! (quite literally.)

Our small sunroom is a true gardener’s indoor retreat, where I’ve maximized the limited space with tension rod shelves and hanging planters. This creates a lush, layered indoor garden where plants get access to light in almost any spot in the room. While you may not have as many plants as me, you can easily incorporate plants into your own decor by:

• Creating a statement with a large floor plant: As seen with the Ficus lyrata in our family room, a large plant can fill an empty corner and act as a natural piece of art.
• Styling with different sizes and shapes: The formal living room uses a mix of a large Ficus elastica, a smaller Hoya on the coffee table, and an overflowing basket of greenery to create visual interest.
• Using plants for a collected look: Combine different pots and stands, like the boho-inspired plant stands in our sunroom, to make the display feel curated over time.

Pillar 3: The Art of Mixing Rustic Charm and Elegant Touches

The core of this aesthetic is the unexpected pairing of contrasting styles. This is what prevents the space from feeling too one-dimensional and let’s my unique style shine through.

• The Dining Room: We have a french country table and chairs that I found thrifting for $300. But the space is leveled up with a magnificent crystal chandelier that was here when we moved in. This bold mix of high and low creates a captivating and unique space perfect for entertaining.
• The Front Entry Hall: Here, a beautifully carved, rustic chess table is placed on a classic Oriental rug, sitting beside an elegant white piano (that I painted several years ago). The juxtaposition of these pieces makes the entry hall feel both grand and invitingly personal at the same time while giving it more purpose.

Sources for my Front Entry Hall can be found here.

Pillar 4: Hunt for Vintage & Thrifted Treasures

To create a home with genuine character, you need pieces that tell a story. I’ve found that the best way to do this is by decorating with vintage and thrifted finds.

• Curated Collections: The black hutch in our dining room is filled with a collected assortment of my fine china and vintage dishes that add a sense of history and tradition.
• Unique Focal Points: The ornate gilded mirrors and classic portraiture found throughout our home, from the dining room to the front entry hall, are all pieces with a past.
• Unexpected Touches: Even a simple stoneware crock or an old basket can become a beautiful centerpiece, as seen on our dining room table.

Pillar 5: Layering for a Cozy, Lived-in Feel

Finally, to make a space feel like the sanctuary you crave, it is important to appeal to the senses. And fall is the perfect season to lean into this.

• Soft Textures: Use plush throw blankets on sofas and chairs and add pillows with rich textures like linen and fringe.
• Warmth & Light: Candles in glass bowls or lanterns, a fire in the fireplace, and the warm glow of lamps create an atmosphere of instant coziness.

Come On In: A Room-by-Room Walkthrough

Now that we’ve covered my best decorating tips, come on in! I’ll take you on a walk through our home and show you how these principles come to life in each space.

The Front Entry Hall: A Grand Welcome

As you step through the front door, you’re greeted by a space that perfectly sets the tone for our home’s blend of styles. This front entry hall isn’t just a pass-through; it’s a room in its own right, where vintage elegance meets a cozy, collected feel.

The soaring arched doorway invites you to look further into the house, hinting at the warmth and character you’ll find in the rooms beyond. And the painted wood inlay floors are truly unique, am I right? It was a bit challenge finding the right area rug that would work with this detail, but I finally found the right one!

The Decor

The beautiful area rug (which you might recognize from our formal living room) creates a wonderful sense of continuity and flow. I originally bought it for this space and because I loved how it looked…I bought another one for the living room!

The centerpiece of the room is a striking carved wood chess table, ready for a game, placed beside an elegant white piano. True story, my father-in-law won it in a poker game like 50 years ago. So fun, right?

The mirror and wall art were pieces I found thrifting around so I bought them for a song. And to keep things super simple for fall, I tucked in some gorgeous gourds and faux stems for a punch of autumn.

Sources for my Front Entry Hall can be found here.

Plants

Flanking the piano is a large, stately Sansevieria plant (snake plant), offering a modern, architectural contrast to the vintage furniture and gilded mirrors. Snake plants add a lot of drama to an indoor space and are crazy easy to care for. If you are new to growing houseplants, start with this one. (Check out my guide to snake plant care here.)

I also have a heartleaf philodendron on the piano. While this easy-care plant can handle low light conditions, I added a grow light so it can thrive more. These are great because you can tuck them in the pots and they have timers! (Check out my guide to heartleaf philodendron care here if you want to grow one.)

Before and After

When we first moved in here, this room was cinnamon red with hand painted chinese lettering on the staircase. We toned it down by painting the space with Benjamin Moore Linen White. I’d love to add a chair rail moulding at some point but am really happy with where it’s going. If you would like to see what this space looked like before, check out my before and after here.

To shop my front entry hall, click here.

Sources for my Front Entry Hall can be found here.

The Dining Room: Autumn Entertaining with Elegant Charm

Stepping into the dining room, you’ll feel an immediate sense of refined warmth, perfect for hosting intimate autumn gatherings. This space beautifully merges rustic farmhouse elements with touches of vintage elegance.

The star of the show is undoubtedly the stunning crystal chandelier. I think it is a little too big for this space, but don’t care because it is epic!

The Decor

The antique oak dining table we found thrifting is draped with a classic gingham tablecloth in a subtle tan and cream that sets a welcoming foundation.

For the centerpiece, a woven basket that I found thrifting holds a large, rustic gourd and a cluster of antiqued brass mushrooms. My fall decor is anchored by a vintage stoneware crock overflowing with vibrant burnt orange faux stems and flanked by vintage crystal candlesticks with these battery-operated candles.

One of my favorite pieces is the dramatic black hutch, beautifully displaying my collected white dishes and featuring a charming “Fresh Baked Pies” sign – a nod to cozy autumn traditions.

I love to display my fine china and these adorable pheasant place card holders that are perfect year round decor. I’m still tweaking this space but for now, I love where it’s going!

The Plants

My dining room is situated on the north side of the house and has no windows. The only natural light it receives is through the french doors that lead to my backyard zen garden. Because it gets very little light and I don’t want the space overwhelmed by grow lights, I decorate with lots of faux greenery in here.

One of my favorite faux greens to use on fireplace mantels or shelves with little to no light are these faux philodendron plants. They look so authentic and real until you get up close to them. I highly recommend if you want to get the look without the care!

However, I do have a gorgeous Philodendron billietiae and seriously, I love this plant. So easy to care for and the foliage is beyond gorgeous!

But I also have a split leaf philodendron near my china cabinet and hutch. I’ve had this plant for well over 15 years now and it could not be easier to grow. (Check out my guide for split leaf philodendron care here.)

Before

Before we moved in, the walls were covered in padded fabric and the ceiling had a textured heavy faux finish that was ALOT of work to paint over to settle the space down. I found the mantel thriftin around and felt it would help make the space feel a bit cozier without taking up a lot of room instead of blank wall. This space is begging for a chair rail and I am considering a light neutral wallpaper above it.

All in good time. To see what this space looked like before, you can check out the transformation here.

The Formal Living Room: A Collected & Elegant Retreat

In our formal living room, you’ll see how I’ve beautifully captured a cozy, rustic elegance for autumn. The deep, warm brown of the leather sofas is perfectly complemented by the soft sage and cream tones in the rug, pillows, and decor. The pops of gold and mustard yellow from the pillows and gourds tie in the classic colors of fall.

Plants

I’ve integrated houseplants seamlessly in the space and it truly makes it come alive! The large Ficus elastica ‘Tineke’ provides a beautiful, leafy backdrop (and might be my favorite houseplant but shhhhh don’t tell the others). My Hoya Black Margin on the coffee table adds a delicate, vining element that I’ve trained up this small, round trellis. I found the large floral ginger jar on the coffee table thrifting around.

While the classic landscape paintings and the rustic basket filled with greenery all tell a story and give the room a collected, timeless feel.

Throw Pillows

For several years, I switched out my throw pillows seasonally. But a few years ago, I decided to invest in a few mix and match pillow covers from Colin and Finn and they were the best thing next to sliced bread! Why?

Because I can add simple fall touches around them to get that seasonal vibe without spending the extra money on replacing pillows! For a simple fall aesthetic, I tucked in a few small gourds. That’s it!

My Fireplace

I’m often asked about the fireplace screen and the truth is, it was here when we moved in. However, I’ve found the exact one here if you are interested in sourcing it.

Click here for living room source information.

Before

This room used to have a dingy faux finish on the walls and hand painted details on the ceiling. While I thought it was unique and beautiful, it was not my style and made the room feel dark with my furniture. There were lots of other great high end details in this space like the painted inlay floors and marble fireplace mantel that were almost non-existent with that look.

We painted over everything with Benjamin Moore Linen White and what a difference that made. To see what this space looked by before, check out my fall home tour here.

Shop my living room here.

To source my throw pillows, click here.

The Sunroom: This Gardener’s Indoor Retreat

Welcome to the sunroom, a space I affectionately call the “plant room” for a very good reason! This is where I like to bring the outdoors in, and for the autumn home tour, it’s a testament to how greenery can play a vibrant role of your seasonal decor.

Plants

With its wall of windows and glass doors, this room is a bright and airy sanctuary for my extensive houseplant collection. To maximize vertical space, I’ve used a variety of plant shelves on tension rods, hanging planters, boho plant shelves, and different plant stands, creating a true urban jungle.

To shop sources for my sunroom, click here.

Decor

The boho farmhouse vibe of this room perfectly complements the plants, with distressed white swivel armchairs and a large leather poof ottoman in a warm, pumpkin-like hue.

I used to have a jute rug in here that I loved, but swapped it out for the same rug that I have in the family room. I love the teal with terracotta colors and felt it was a great foundation for this casual seating room. My pillow covers add a boho touch to the space while keeping things somewhat informal.

Before

This space before was quite a sight! The entire room had a heavy faux finish with Shrek green and bright yellow. There were these beautiful painted flowers on the walls that were super cool but your vision could not move past the walls into the exterior garden.

And let’s face it. I’m ALL about the gardens here so we needed to change that. I painted over the walls and trim with Benjamin Moore Simply White and am happy with the result. You can catch the full before and after sunroom makeover here.

If you are interested in discovering where I’ve sourced this space, click here.

The Family Room: A Cozy & Lived-in Space

If our formal living room is where we go to read a book, gather with company, and relax. But the family room is where we truly live. It’s designed for comfort and connection, and this season, I’ve layered in even more texture, warmth and lots of organic decor.

Decor

The deep sage-gray sectional is a gathering place that is made extra cozy for fall with rich, rust-colored pillows and a plush throw blanket. And I finally found an area rug that I love that brings this casual boho farmhouse family room together. (A rug I loved so much that I bought a second for my plant room!)

Because I have two labs who live on the sofas with us, I swap the pillows out in this space seasonally to keep them fresh.

We have a large built in cabinet that houses a doorway to our garage, pantry, tv and storage. To balance it out, I bought two farmhouse 9 drawer console tables and decorated above it with plants and decor.

As an aside, I love the butterfly framed wall art! It brings some color into my space and creates a beautiful focal point above the tables with my plants. I bought two different ones: this and this.

Plants

My houseplant obsession continues, with a stunning Ficus lyrata and a graceful Ficus elastica ‘Burgundy’ creating a natural, vibrant backdrop. The vintage-carved coffee table, adorned with a natural gourd and the best flickering scented candles, acts as a beautiful anchor for this truly lived-in space.

Before

When we first moved in here, there were huge plantation shutters that wouldn’t stay open on every single window. So the first thing we did after unpacking was to remove all of them so we could see the backyard zen garden.

There was also a brown, aged venetian plaster that covered the walls, ceiling and trim. To brighten up the space, we painted over it with Benjamin Moore Linen White. And now, our family room feels lighter, more cozy, and you can actually see into the backyard gardens. Want to see what this space looked like before? You can see the family room transformation here.

To shop my family room, click here.

Final Thoughts on My Fall Home Tour With Rustic Elegance

Looking back to when we first moved in, and seeing how these spaces have evolved over almost four years, truly fills my heart. This home has been a canvas for exploring my personal style—a blend of classic elegance with the rustic, comforting touches I adore.

I have long abandoned the notion that we can decorate our homes in an hour like an episode of Fixer Upper. While I love to tweak my home for the seasons, I feel that a strong basis of your personal style is key for creating a classic, cozy, and traditional home that reflects who you are.

It’s a reminder that decorating is a journey, not a destination. Most beautiful homes are those that genuinely reflect the people who live in them. I hope my fall home tour and these decorating tips inspire you to embrace your own unique style. Create a home that feels like a warm, collected hug so you never want to leave it! LOL!

Happy fall decorating!

Thank you for visiting the blog today!

Enjoy your day! xo